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Floyd
Mayweather Jr. needs to be tested....By
Mike Casile
(OCT 4) Outrageous statements, declaring greatness, has been done over
and over, in the world of boxing. The only time it really seems to mean
anything, is when the person making those statements, follows through.
Right now we have a fighter in Floyd Mayweather Jr., that has all the
god given talent in the world, he certainly has the mouth, and most
importantly, he wants to go down as the greatest fighter of all time. He
has compared his talent to Muhammad Ali, and Sugar Ray Robinson. I can
not say that he does not have the same ability, but let’s compare
accomplishment, not ability.
Mayweather, a pro fighter for TEN years is, 36 – 0 – 24 (KO’s). Sugar
Ray Robinson was 36 – 0 – 25(KO’s) less than TWO years into his career,
and the irony is that he fought Jake La Motta in his Tenth year. He
defeated LaMotta, but he was tested. Robinson fought for 25 years, and
finished with a record of 173 – 19 – 108(KO’s). We also have to keep in
mind, that a majority of those losses came 17 years into his career. He
was amazing. Mayweather also claimed to be better than Muhammad Ali.
That statement could be closer to the truth, considering the amount of
wins and KO’s both fighters had after 10 years, but ALI lost 3 years of
his first ten years, and he fought a much better grade of opposition.
Mayweather does not seem to be looking very hard for his Frazier or
LaMotta.
He seems content on beating his mandatory, and dethroning the lesser
fighters. He is winning, that is a fact that is undeniable, but his
legacy will be lost, in his inability to be more active, and to fight
the best. There is the possibity of Floyd suffering the same fate as Roy
Jones. Jones waited so long to fight anybody that would give him a real
fight, that by the time he actually found the WILL to do it, his skills
had diminished, and he was knocked out by two fighters of lesser talent.
Yes, Roy had the talent, just like Mayweather, but he squandered it, to
keep his record clean. But where is his legacy? What makes a fighter
great is not his record. It is who he is willing to fight. Oscar De La
Hoya never ran from anyone. He has losses, but those were real fights.
He did not get KO’d by Oba Carr, or Yory boy Campos, or Vargas. He lost
is toe to toe battles, with the best the world had to offer, and his
legacy will be rewarded for it.
Mayweather seems to believe, that if he keeps fighting lesser opponents,
he will somehow be considered great, because he has the skill. But I
think it was Muhammad Ali who said it best. “To be a great fighter, you
need the WILL and the skill, but a little more WILL.” Right now, Floyd
Mayweather’s skill is unbelievable, possibly the best since Ali, but his
will, is that of an average fighter, clinging to the top, and looking
for the biggest purse. As time passes, the skill will go, and if the
will is not there, his legacy will pass right along with it. I will not
call Floyd Mayweather Jr. a fraud. His is a tremendous talent that
should be showcasing it on a broader scale, with better opponents. Maybe
it is all about the money, and like he said, “I don’t care about belts,
I don’t need trinkets, other fighters need me, to make money”. That’s
statement may be even sadder than the ALI, Robinson statement, but deep
in our hearts, we all wish he had the WILL.
We all wish he could be like the movies, and step up to that “dare to be
great” situation, but we all know that is fantasyland. It is the major
reason Rocky 6 is due to hit theaters in December, giving fight fans
what they yearn for. A fighter with the WILL to be a champion.
Mike Casile
“The Philadelphia Boxing Report” ESPN 920 Philly
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